Catalyzed by increasing concern about responsible recycling of mixed plastics and China’s National Sword ban, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and King County Solid Waste Division’s LinkUp program reached out to key public, private, and NGO stakeholders to explore the immediate and longer-term capabilities for increased domestic sorting and processing of #3 – 7 plastic resins and other mixed plastics.

This on-going process will explore what conditions are needed to provide additional support and/or infrastructure for domestic sorting and processing. Participants also hope to gain clarity on whether existing Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) can handle increased capacity, or if new facilities (such as PRFs) are needed in the region.

Full Circle, under Prime Contractor, C+C, will be developing, implementing, and analyzing stakeholder interviews to gather information on the feasibility of, and a possible path toward, directing #3 – 7 plastics to a domestic facility through contracts, or through existing or new policies and processes.